A

In computing, access control management refers to the management of access to systems, resources or other information for a user or user group. This often includes authentication to prove the identity of the user or group requesting access.

Application acceleration is the process of speeding the performance and delivery of applications with network componentry that leverages a variety of caching, compression and encryption methods to gain improved performance from application servers and faster delivery to end-point devices.

Application compatibility is the ability and level of support that a particular application may have within a specific run-time environment or operating system, such as the ability for a specific set of web browsers – for instance Internet Explorer or Firefox – to run on Linux.

An application delivery controller (ADC) is a network device that lives in the datacenter, located strategically between the firewall and one or more application servers. The ADC handles load balancing between servers and optimizes end-user performance and security for enterprise applications.

Application migration refers to the activities and processes involved in moving from one application to another, from one application version to another, or of moving an application from one operating system to another.

Application virtualization is a method of abstracting an application from the underlying operating system on which is it being used such that it is no longer installed on the end-user device, but instead delivered virtually to the end-user device.

B

Branch office networking refers to the ability to connect a main corporate office to branch offices via an IT infrastructure that will accelerate, control and optimize all services, including desktops, applications, multimedia and more.

The business-ready desktop is a complete end user focused desktop ready for line-of-business use. As a virtual hosted workspace, a business-ready desktop is complete with applications, productivity tools, storage and more. Business-ready desktops have comprehensive value, are fully-supported, and delivered on-demand.

C

Caching is an area of a computer’s memory devoted to the retrieval of frequently-used or requested content. The content, which includes HTML pages, images, files and Web objects, is stored on the local hard drive in order to make it faster for the user to access it, which helps improve the efficiency of the computer and its overall performance.

Client virtualization is method of abstracting or separating a user operating system from the underlying device in order to increase security, manageability and supportability. Client virtualization enables multiple OS instances to run on a single device directly on top of the bare metal without interfering with one another and without the need for a fully functional operating system acting as a host layer.

Cloud architecture refers to the components necessary for cloud computing. There are four essential parts, which create a complete cloud computing architecture when combined: a front end platform, back end platforms, a cloud based delivery, and a network.

Cloud computing refers to the delivery of computing resources—things like applications, servers, storage, software, and networking—over the internet. Rather than host your own resources, you can use them as services from various cloud providers. Cloud providers typically offer subscriptions and charge based on usage—you can scale up or down depending on your needs, much like how you’re billed for electricity.

Cloud networking refers to hosting or using network resources and services—virtual routers, bandwidth, virtual firewalls, or network management software—from any public, private, or hybrid cloud. Cloud networking spans both in-house networks that utilize cloud-based services for various tasks, as well as networks that are entirely cloud-based.

Consumerization of IT refers to the growing trend of new information technology that is consumer-driven. This is a major shift in the IT industry, where large business and government organizations have long since dominated computer usage and development.

Desktop management is the technology, processes and procedures for managing and supporting the laptops, desktops and other end-user computing devices that leverage enterprise IT services and resources.

Desktop virtualization is technology that centralizes desktops in the datacenter and delivers it to users on demand. It separates the hard-coded components of a corporate desktop, such as operating system or user profile, which allows IT to manage one instance of each and combine them to deliver a secure desktop to users.

Desktops-as-a-Service (DaaS) delivers secure on-demand hosted virtual desktops to end users via a third-party hosted services provider. DaaS infrastructure is typically shared and multi-tenant in nature. DaaS is sometimes perceived as synonymous to VDI, but in some models hosting can be from either a shared OS infrastructure or from a dedicated VDI environment.

Disaster recovery refers to the plans and procedures related to the recovery of computer operations after a natural or man-made disaster such as a fire or an earthquake. Disaster recovery is a form a business continuity which focuses on bringing critical business services back online after a failure.

E

An e-signature, or electronic signature, is a method for signing contracts and other documents electronically, without pen or paper. E-signatures are used by businesses to save time and reduce costs, and have the same legal validity and enforceability of pen-and-paper documents, when executed in compliance with e-signature laws.

An enterprise app store is a virtual application storefront for enterprise employees. Users can access the enterprise app store from mobile or desktop devices and self-select the software and services they need to interact with to perform work and collaborate to accomplish enterprise objectives.

Enterprise file sync and sharing (EFSS) is a software service that allows users to securely share and sync files, documents, photos, and videos with employees, partners, or customers across multiple devices.

Enterprise Mobility

Enterprise mobility refers to a shift in business practices, where more employees work outside the office and require secure access to corporate data. This includes using mobile devices such as smartphones or tablets, as well as accessing cloud services, to conduct business.

F

A flexible workplace offers a wide spectrum of work structures that go beyond traditional business scheduling. A flexible workplace may offer flexibility in hours or amount of hours worked, days or number of days worked, or in location of work, such as working from home or from a satellite location.

Hybrid cloud is a type of computing environment that integrates private computing resources, such as a data center or private cloud, with public clouds. Apps, data, and services are shared among these resources, which are separate entities but managed together as a unified environment.

Hybrid IT is an enterprise computing approach that runs existing in-house IT infrastructure alongside public cloud services for various enterprise workload and data needs. Unlike hybrid cloud, the in-house and cloud resources in a hybrid IT environment are not integrated to work together as one.

I

Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS)

Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS) is a provision model in which physical or virtual machines are outsourced by an organization. Pools of hypervisors, such as the Xen® hypervisor, run the virtual machines. This can be scaled up or down according to an organization's requirements.

IT-as-a-Service (ITaaS)

IT-as-a-Service (ITaaS) is a method of delivering information technology as a commodity. In an ITaaS model, the IT organization acts as a paid service to the enterprise and must compete for its business.

L

Load balancing is a core networking solution responsible for distributing incoming traffic among servers hosting the same application content. By balancing application requests across multiple servers, a load balancer prevents any application server from becoming a single point of failure, thus improving overall application availability and responsiveness.

M

Mobile application management (MAM) refers to software or services responsible for managing access to internally-developed enterprise mobile applications, which can be accessed on company devices or BYO devices, such as smartphones or tablets.

Mobile application security, or mobile app security, is the protection of mobile device applications (apps) from malware, hackers or other malicious attacks. Mobile app security is a chief component of mobile application management (MAM), which protects mobile devices from the risk of exploits via their apps.

Mobile device management (MDM) refers to security software responsible for monitoring, securing and managing mobile devices, such as smartphones or tablets, deployed across the enterprise. MDM software is designed to optimize device functionality while protecting data across the corporate network.

Mobile device security refers to the protection of mobile devices deployed across the enterprise. Mobile device security is designed to extend the same protection and policy controls available on-premise to BYO devices such as smartphones or tablets.

A mobile web application is a mobile application (app) that combines web and touch-enabled functionality. Mobile web applications are web-based, which improves device compatibility, but provide users with the look and feel of a native app.

N

Network functions virtualization (NFV) refers to an initiative aimed at reducing the amount of hardware, power and space required to deploy network functions. The concept is designed to virtualize network functions via virtual machines, which would decrease the amount of hardware previously needed for network functions, such as routers, firewalls and load balancers.

Network virtualization refers to networks that consist of resources being linked together into a cohesive communication group. Virtual networks are used to sub-divide physical resource groups as a part of a larger network and can even be used to enable multiple virtual machines running on a single laptop to communicate with each other regardless of whether the laptop itself is connected to a network.

S

Server virtualization is the act of separating server-class operating systems from the hardware on which they are traditionally installed through the use of a middle-ware layer. This enables the server hardware to be leveraged as a single pool of capacity such that any instance of a server operating system running as a virtual machine can be hosted anywhere in the pool.

Session virtualization uses application streaming to deliver applications to hosting servers in the datacenter. The user connects to the server to which the application has been delivered and the application then executes entirely on the server. The user interacts with the application remotely by sending mouse-clicks and keystrokes to the server, which responds by sending screen updates back to the user’s device.

Software defined networking (SDN) is an approach to networking architecture in which network control is decoupled from forwarding. Network intelligence is centralized, which creates a global view of the network.

Software-as-a-service (SaaS) refers to Web-based applications enabled for delivery as a subscription-based service to any user with a browser. SaaS also refers to hosted application services that may not have a web front-end but which might simply have APIs that can be called remotely or which have a plug-in or installable component that is interacted with.

T

Telework is a work arrangement that allows employees to work from home or from other remote locations, using IT and telecommunications such as phone, Internet teleconferencing, e-mail or instant messaging to perform work duties.

V

A virtual appliance (VA) is a virtual machine (VM) image file that is used to simplify application delivery. The virtual appliance consists of a pre-configured operating system environment and a single application.

A virtual data room is a digital data repository that is tightly controlled to restrict access. Virtual data rooms enable businesses to share and exchange large amounts of data quickly and easily, without compromising on confidentiality.

Virtual desktops may refer to any isolated desktop-class environment dedicated and provisioned for use by a specific user either as a virtual machine or as a session within a client-server environment.

Virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) refers to the part of the IT environment dedicated to hosting desktop operating systems within virtual machines (VM). These virtual machines can run on a hosted, centralized or remote server or servers.

A virtual machine is an operating system environment that has been abstracted from its physical machine such that it can leverage an intermediate software layer to run on any physical hardware. Examples of virtual machines include virtual desktops, virtual servers and virtual appliances.

Virtual network architecture refers to a network infrastructure that can be scaled to adapt to any workload. A virtual network architecture integrates network virtualization and cloud computing to create an open virtualization solution that can connect datacenters from any location.

A virtual workforce refers to a workforce not bound by physical or geographic location. Instead, a virtual workforce uses IT and telecommunications such as phone, Internet teleconferencing, e-mail or instant messaging to perform work duties from home or other remote locations.

Virtualization refers to the method of abstracting all aspects of the physical IT infrastructure from the specific environments that it is charged with hosting (e.g. applications, desktops, servers, storage, networks, etc.) thus enabling improved management, control, flexibility, security and utilization of the overall service infrastructure.

A wide area network (WAN) connects a group of computers and other network devices over geographically dispersed locations. An enterprise WAN typically connects branch offices or remote employees to the data center, giving users access to applications, cloud services, and other corporate resources.

Also known as WAN acceleration, WAN optimization is a collection of techniques used to increase the efficiency of data transfer across a wide area network (WAN). Techniques used to achieve WAN optimization include deduplication, compression, latency optimization, caching, forward error correction, protocol spoofing, traffic shaping, equalizing, connection limiting and service-level rate limiting.

A white label hosting reseller of Desktops-as-a-Service offer generic Desktop-as-a-Service (DaaS) via an ecosystem of value added resellers. White label hosting resellers can provide their business channel partners with a fast route to market and an easy route to scale business by offering a pre-built, proven partner platform. Downstream resellers and service providers add value through the addition of unique brand, bundled services, and direct customer support.

Windows XP Migration refers to the process of migrating a computer's operating system from Windows XP to Windows 7 or Windows 8. Microsoft will no longer offer support for Windows XP as of April 8, 2014. This means that enterprise IT will no longer receive security updates or other necessary support from Microsoft after this time and thus must upgrade their infrastructure to a more modern platform.

X

The Xen Project™ hypervisor is a layer of software which replaces the traditionally installed operating system and which runs directly on a computer's hardware, allowing it to run multiple guest operating systems concurrently. Support for x86, x86-64, Itanium, Power PC, and ARM processors allow the Xen Project hypervisor to run on a wide variety of computing devices and currently supports Linux, NetBSD, FreeBSD, Solaris, Windows, and other common operating systems as guests running on the hypervisor. The xenproject.org community develops and maintains the Xen Project hypervisor as a free solution licensed under the GNU General Public License.